Food for the Soul (closed w/ selfmedicatingmayor)

selfmedicatingmayor:

the-perfect-scientist :

Carlos chuckled, keeping his eyes on his project. “I dunno
if I’d take you up on that,” he said. “Just… I dunno. Maybe later. I’m really
not too curious about it.” Except he kinda was, but he wasn’t going to admit
that to another person. Nor did he really wanna be caught, dead or alive, with
Mayor Hancock’s erotica in his possession. That’d… that’d just be embarrassing.

Suddenly though, something came to him. “A simile! That’s what it is! When
comparing something with something like it in writing, it’s called a simile!
Damn, I feel dumb not remembering that; I apologize.”

“Really? Ya don’t ever wonder what it’s like when a good author attempts to write a smutty scene? I’m sure it ain’t as entertaining as when it’s done real shitty, but it’s a lot sexier, anyway.” Honestly, most wastelanders wouldn’t think twice about finding someone with dirty literature, shame wasn’t such an issue when people were just doing what they could to stay alive every day. Or maybe it was just Hancock that had no shame about such things, he couldn’t be sure.

Carlos’ sudden outburst nearly made him jump, a surprised look coming across the ghoul’s face as he looked up at him and blinked. “I uh…. you’re forgiven? I wasn’t really judgin’ ya for not remembering, I sure as hell didn’t remember it, anyway.”

Carlos just smiled at him. “Maybe another time,” he repeated. He then looked sheepish as he continued working. “Sorry, I just… It was gonna bug me for a while, not remembering the word. I’m just glad I remembered it now, and not in the middle of the night when I’m trying to sleep or something.”

Carlos removed another component from the terminal – the holotape drive. He looked it over, considering. “How often do you use holotapes?” he asked.

“That doesn’t look like a scratch.”

“I-I…” Well, that hadn’t exactly been what Carlos meant to say when Hancock asked what happened to his face. Someone, a large ghoul who claimed to be Hancock’s ‘favorite’, had jumped him on his way back from the warehouse. It took Neighborhood Watch to scare them off, and by then Carlos had already been shoved into a stack of crates and, apparently, onto some broken glass that was making him drip all over his favorite flannel.

“It’s… What I meant was that… it’s not a big deal,” Carlos murmured, trying not to be obviously avoiding Hancock’s gaze. “But, uh… I-I should get this cleaned up so… er, y’know… in case of infection.”

selfmedicatingmayor:

the-perfect-scientist :

Carlos turned his head kiss Hancock’s cheek. “I don’t need
to tell you that I feel the same… but I do,” he murmured.

He smiled at the noise that Hancock was making – did he know
he sounded like that? He sounded so… content. Happy. It did things to Carlos’
stomach, just hearing that noise.

“Things are pretty amazing when I’m with you, you know. You
help me forget too…” Carlos didn’t elaborate on that though – Hancock was smart
and could probably surmise what Carlos meant anyway. Whatever he thought of, it’d
probably be correct.

“I dunno how I scored the sweetest man in the entire fuckin’ world, but I’m damn grateful for it every day I get to spend with you.” He pulled back slightly, just enough to press another sweet kiss to his lips, lingering this time, his hands brushing through the other’s hair then cupping his face and stroking his thumbs along his cheekbones before breaking the kiss, chest tightening and heat coming to his cheeks as he breathed the next words. “I love you.”

Carlos felt a little dazed from the kiss, but quickly the daze wore off and he stared at Hancock, wide-eyed. For a split second he thought he’d misheard the other man, but quickly he reasoned that there was no way he could have; simply nothing else would have fit.

“Han, I… really?” he asked softly.

The ‘L’ word had occurred to Carlos before, sure, but he didn’t know if what they had was… that. He also wasn’t sure if Hancock was someone who would have even appreciated the use of the word. He just… he never thought he’d hear it.

selfmedicatingmayor:

the-perfect-scientist :

Keep reading

Keep reading

Carlos’ grip tensed a little bit in the cloth. He paused for
a moment, taking a deep breath before slowly going back to his task.

“M.. ‘m sorry,” he murmured softly. Ugh… his voice still
sounded broken even though he wasn’t actually crying anymore. But he very
easily could soon… so he didn’t want to talk again.

Not yet. Because if he did, then Hancock would think it was
his fault and would try to coddle Carlos and make him feel better, but really…
Carlos didn’t want to be coddled. Especially not when he himself was the one to mess it up in the first place.

He moved his empty hand up to lay over Hancock’s shoulder
and gave it a gentle squeeze. He cared about Hancock too much to let him
continue feeling bad about this… he had to at least try to make him feel
better.

“Oh- I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to run into you. I don’t want any trouble I promise, I just –” Carlos paused when recognition dawned on him. “Oh, um… hello again. Um… Kiara, right?” ((fallout au — i made him misremember her name on purpose ;3 I hope this is ok))

distantpagesandpapercuts:

the-perfect-scientist:

distantpagesandpapercuts:

There’s a small moment of confusion on her face before it is replaced with the same recognition. Kira smiles a bit, impressed that he remembered her at all.

Even if incorrectly, it was close enough.

“Kira, but yeah.” She nods happily, “It’s been awhile, I honestly didn’t expect to see you ever again!” A small giggle escapes her, “I’m afraid I cannot recall your name, I’m horrible with names. But I remember, from Concord right?”

Carlos drank a bit of his coffee and looked at her. “Yeah… I was here for trading,” he said. “I was working with the Mr Handy at that general store, trying to haggle a bit. The prices for salvage are better here… but supplies are also more expensive too.” He then shrugged a bit. “At least that Moe guy seemed happy with the batting helmet I found, though he seems to be sorely mistaken about what ‘baseball’ is… how does someone who lives in a baseball stadium not know what the sport is?”

“Percy?” She smiles, obviously fond of that particular Mr. Handy.

“I see, that makes sense. And Percy is much more appealing than Myrna in most senses, though Percy tends to the shop at night.” Kira nods a bit, thinking. Perhaps Myrna was ill and Percy was doing days as well? And if so, has she visited Sun yet? Something to bring up to him for sure if needed. After all, no one would dare see her, but Sun was deemed trustworthy around here still.

At the mention of Moe, Kira made a face.

“I cannot claim to know much about the sport itself, but for someone who likes to talk about it so much…” She giggles, “He sure has a… strange idea of what the sport was really about. But it’s kind of you to humor him. Whether the caps are worth it or not. Perhaps I’ll find a book about it for him one day. If so, I’m sure he’d enjoy it.”

“I’m afraid I haven’t met Myrna,” Carlos said. “Percy seems very sensible though, and very friendly, so she can’t be all that bad.” But maybe she was – Carlos didn’t know. It was just usually Mr Handy units were about as friendly as their owners wanted them to be.

“If I find you a book I’ll be happy to help explain baseball to you,” Carlos then said with a slight smile. “I played it every so often – they though really I prefer soccer. But my pal Ralphie – he was obsessed with the game and would get very competitive. It was pretty funny sometimes.” He sighed. “As for Moe… according to my history class, I think maybe he’d prefer ancient Rome to actual baseball. He seems to be really enamored with the blood and guts side of sports… and Rome had plenty of that.”

“Oh- I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to run into you. I don’t want any trouble I promise, I just –” Carlos paused when recognition dawned on him. “Oh, um… hello again. Um… Kiara, right?” ((fallout au — i made him misremember her name on purpose ;3 I hope this is ok))

distantpagesandpapercuts:

the-perfect-scientist:

distantpagesandpapercuts:

There’s a small moment of confusion on her face before it is replaced with the same recognition. Kira smiles a bit, impressed that he remembered her at all.

Even if incorrectly, it was close enough.

“Kira, but yeah.” She nods happily, “It’s been awhile, I honestly didn’t expect to see you ever again!” A small giggle escapes her, “I’m afraid I cannot recall your name, I’m horrible with names. But I remember, from Concord right?”

Carlos hummed softly, though he was still a bit shaken by
the question.

But as she talked about the Super Mutants he just frowned
even more, very confused and at least a bit fearful on her part. “I… I guess I’ll
take your word for it,” he said. “But, uh… you’re right – I’m not gonna go and
try for anything… like that with them. It’s a miracle you’re here to tell about
it, if… if you don’t mind me saying.” To think that there was a chance she
wouldn’t be here, offering him caps for books
of all things… Carlos would rather not think about it.

Carlos didn’t exactly seem very pleased with her story, but Supermutants weren’t pleasing in themselves. Nor did Kira find the story to be pleasing either.

“I don’t mind you saying because I know it to be true.” She sips the tea from her cup with a small sigh. “They almost did get me though, and sometimes when I wander by, there are shots fired in my direction. Sometimes they are inclined to stop, sometimes they don’t recognize me and I have to sprint out of the area. It’s… risky, even for me. So yes, I imagine you wandering through would be no walk in the park. So I will pay you as we agreed. It’s difficult getting here and sometimes it’s difficult to get in here.”

Kira nods a bit, taking a look out the window to his side, watching the people stroll on about.

“Originally, what did you come here for Carlos? Trading? I know I snatched you up off the street kinda quickly. I hope I’m not putting you off of your original purpose here.”

Carlos drank a bit of his coffee and looked at her. “Yeah… I was here for trading,” he said. “I was working with the Mr Handy at that general store, trying to haggle a bit. The prices for salvage are better here… but supplies are also more expensive too.” He then shrugged a bit. “At least that Moe guy seemed happy with the batting helmet I found, though he seems to be sorely mistaken about what ‘baseball’ is… how does someone who lives in a baseball stadium not know what the sport is?”

selfmedicatingmayor:

the-perfect-scientist:

Carlos smiled slightly at him. “Or… you’re forgetting about it? Just for a bit?” he ventured. Carlos wanted to hug him back, but he still had grease on his hands. And to get his rag to wipe them off he’d have to turn out of Hancock’s hug. He put his hands together so he didn’t forget and smear grease on Hancock, but then Carlos stepped closer to press himself against Hancock.

“Maybe that’s it. You help me forget how shit things are, make things better.” A low purr escaped the ghoul and pressed in close, arms tightening around Carlos’ shoulders in a proper hug. “I don’t know what I’d do without you, sunshine, or how I survived so long before meetin’ you. You’re the best thing that’s ever happened to me.”

Carlos turned his head kiss Hancock’s cheek. “I don’t need
to tell you that I feel the same… but I do,” he murmured.

He smiled at the noise that Hancock was making – did he know
he sounded like that? He sounded so… content. Happy. It did things to Carlos’
stomach, just hearing that noise.

“Things are pretty amazing when I’m with you, you know. You
help me forget too…” Carlos didn’t elaborate on that though – Hancock was smart
and could probably surmise what Carlos meant anyway. Whatever he thought of, it’d
probably be correct.

A Holiday Surprise (closed w/ selfmedicatingmayor)

selfmedicatingmayor:

the-perfect-scientist :

Carlos made a surprised little squeaky noise when Hancock kissed him, but he quickly tried to cover it up with a frankly obnoxious-sounding clearing of his throat. He closed the door behind them and went toward his desk.

“Uh, go ahead and sit down, Han,” he said, gesturing toward his chair. “Gimme a second to find it. I put it away so it wouldn’t get hurt while I worked.” Carlos started to go through the top drawer of the desk, taking tools out and setting them on top so that they weren’t in the way.

“The suspense is killing me, sunshine.” He laughed as he followed Carlos’ order and took a seat, watching him with an amused smile–– and maybe checking him out a little–– as he searched. “Y’know, it’s pretty nice in here. Quiet. I dunno why I don’t come down more often to see what you’re up to and watch ya work. How are you liking it?”

“Huh?” Carlos asked. “Oh, um… well, I like it very much.
Yeah, it’s nice… nice to work in a more enclosed space with a lock on the door.
And it’s nice to have places to do what I do best, you know? Just… working on
machines makes me feel really good and… y’know, useful.”

Carlos finally picked up the little bundle he’d wrapped with
a bit of old newspaper that was tied with a bit of copper wire (which he’d
recycle after this). The newspaper was an old Nuka Cola ad so the paper was a
little bit colorful. Carlos turned to Hancock, smiling and holding out the
package.

“Here it is. Merry Christmas, Hancock.”

selfmedicatingmayor:

the-perfect-scientist:

Carlos struggled for a moment not to shut his eyes at the hand in his hair. It was… just such a weak spot for him. But he managed to keep his eyes locked with Hancock’s. “I like seeing you smile too,” he said softly. “You look really relaxed when you do… Erh, not that I think you’re full of stress or anything, just… I just like it… too.” Damn. “I like your smile. Just… yeah.”

“You’re adorable.” Hancock grinned, more than pleased with the way Carlos always seemed to stumble over his words whenever he showed affection, it was one of the ghoul’s favorite things about him. “And if I don’t seem stressed, I guess I must be doin’ something right, hmm? Good I hiding it I s’pose.”

Carlos smiled slightly at him. “Or… you’re forgetting about it? Just for a bit?” he ventured. Carlos wanted to hug him back, but he still had grease on his hands. And to get his rag to wipe them off he’d have to turn out of Hancock’s hug. He put his hands together so he didn’t forget and smear grease on Hancock, but then Carlos stepped closer to press himself against Hancock.

selfmedicatingmayor:

the-perfect-scientist:

Carlos made a little noise, but in a moment he was smiling almost stupidly against Hancock’s mouth. He pressed a couple more kisses to Hancock’s mouth before looking him in the eyes. “You are so sweet to me,” Carlos murmured, still smiling at him.

“That’s how people are supposed to be when they care about each other, isn’t it?” He chuckled lightly as he looped his arms around Carlos’ neck and idly played with his hair as he stared into his eyes. “Maybe you just inspire me to be especially sugary, hmm? I like seeing you smile.”

Carlos struggled for a moment not to shut his eyes at the hand in his hair. It was… just such a weak spot for him. But he managed to keep his eyes locked with Hancock’s. “I like seeing you smile too,” he said softly. “You look really relaxed when you do… Erh, not that I think you’re full of stress or anything, just… I just like it… too.” Damn. “I like your smile. Just… yeah.”